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Love Is in the Air: 11 Teen Romance Books

by Janssen Bradshaw

There’s nothing quite so exciting – or quite so dramatic – as young love. Whether you’re a teen in the middle of (or dreaming about) your first romance, or an adult remembering your teen romances from a decade or two (or more!) ago, these eleven books are guaranteed to make you fall in love – at least for a few hours.

In the summer between her freshman and sophomore years, Frankie transforms from an awkward kid to a 15-year-old beauty. She returns to her elite boarding school and quickly snags herself a handsome senior boyfriend. But she gets more than she bargained for when she discovers he’s part of an all-male secret society. Not only is she determined to find out what’s going on, she also wants to find a way to be part of it.

What if Shakespeare’s famous tragedy took place in the modern world with the paparazzi standing by hoping to catch every moment of drama as it unfolds? Told from Ophelia’s point of view, readers get an inside look at Hamlet’s life falling apart around him. Pair this version with a copy of Shakespeare’s original for a great gift.

Karou is a talented art student studying in Prague. She also spends her free time running mysterious errands for the monsters that raised her. And she’s about to discover that there’s a lot she hasn’t been told about her past. The best part is that the second two books in the trilogy are just as strong as the first.

Bettina has the world’s strictest parents, but somehow she manages to land a popular boyfriend. And yet, as their relationship gets more serious, things turn ugly and Bettina doesn’t know how to extricate herself from her suddenly abusive boyfriend.

In a world where some people are born with “graces” (special skills), Katsa is graced with killing. Her uncle, the king, uses her to force his subjects into submission. Katsa sees nothing ahead for her but more unhappiness — until she meets Po, a young man with a fighting grace who convinces her that there’s a better life out there for her than the one she’s living.

Imagine you wrote a letter to every boy you ever loved (five in all) and then hid those letters away. Now imagine someone mailed those letters to their intended recipients and suddenly they all knew your most secret feelings. Lara Jean is about to find out exactly what that’s like.

Anna is not delighted about being sent to boarding school in Paris and missing her senior year in Atlanta. But then she meets Etienne St. Clair and she thinks maybe France isn’t so bad after all. Except that Etienne isn’t single. And maybe she isn’t either, if her almost-boyfriend from home turns into an actual boyfriend.

No breakup is fun, but when your ex-boyfriend writes a song about it and it skyrockets to #1? Well, that’s even less fun, especially when you’re trying to move on with your life and catch the eye of your cute coworker.

Set in Manhattan at the turn of the 20th century, this is a story told from five points of view. You might think it’d be too confusing, but in this story of lies, high-society, and star-crossed lovers, it works perfectly. And don’t forget to allow yourself a moment to ogle the gorgeous dresses on the covers of all four of the books in this series.

D.J.’s family has never been particularly well-off, but now, with her older brothers off at college playing football and her dad injured, D.J.’s carrying the weight of the family farm on her shoulders. But when Brian Nelson, star quarterback for the rival high school, starts coming around to help out, things get even more complicated. The Dairy Queen trilogy is fantastic any way you read it, but it’s especially great listening in audiobook format.

Mia is torn between wanting to attend Juilliard to play cello and staying home with her beloved family and boyfriend. But after a terrible car accident, those choices seem minimal compared to the real decision Mia now has to face. Check out the recently released movie version too.